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' P. R. BUCK.

METHOD 0F PACKING GRANULAR MATERIAL.

` No. 387,140.` Patented July 31, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OErrcEO FRANK R. BUCK, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF PACKING GRANULAR MATERIAL..

SPECIFICATION lforming part of Letters Patent No. 387,140, dated J'uly31, 1888.

Application filed October 31, 1857. Serial No. 253,836.

.To @ZZ whom it may concern:l

Beit known that l, FRANK R. BUCK, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Method of Packing GranularMaterials, Fruits, Ste., in Ready- Made Boxes; and I do hereby declarethat the .following is a full and exact description thereot', referencebeing had to the accompanying` drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, making a part of this specification.

It has been found desirable in packing crackers, fruits, nuts,confections, tobacco, and other materials which, being in small piecesor in a granulated or comminuted condition, admit of heilig arranged inan orderly manner to make the top layer of the package as level,uniform, and regular in appearance as possible, so that upon opening thepackageit shall be pleasing and attractive to the eye. It is also oftenfound desirable to have sample boxes which shall be of the same size andoutward appearance in all respects as the packages to be sold, and sinceit is not necessary that these sample-boxes shall be tilled it iscustomary to make a false top or cover for the box and to pack therein asingle layer only of the merchandise, the remaining space being leftempty or stuffed with paper, shavings, or other worthless material,thereby avoiding a needless outlay of the merchandise. It has alsoheretofore been a common practice to make the bottom plate of the boxloose or detachable, and after placing the box upside down upon a levelsurface to remove the bottom and pack the box by first arranging thereinthe layer which shall be uppermost, and,after lling the remainder of thebox in any desired manner, closing it by making fast thereon the bottomplate; and, furthermore, as an improvement upon this method of packingan incomplete box, a knockdown or unmade box consisting of a box-cover,a body or neck,and a bottom has been employed, and,the loose body orneck being first inserted in the cover, the top layer is arranged uponthe cover within said neck, the neck filled to the top, and the bottomof the box then fitted over the neck and against the cover, and securedto the body by means of glue or other devices, so as to complete the boxafter the goods have been placed therein.

My invention differs from the methods and (No model.)

devices now in use, in that it facilitates the packing either from thetop or the bottom and without the use of auxiliary apparatus other thana simple liningframe of the ordinary complete pasteboard boxes in commonuse by grocers, confectioners, and other dealers, and which are to befound ready made in the market and cannot be taken apart withoutniarring and defacing them.

It consists in packing with the proper material, as hereinafterdescribed, an open lining or re-enforcing frame adapted to iit closelywithin and yet be readily` removed from the ordinary box which is to befilled, and which is made of a depth corresponding with thatof the box,then fitting the. ready-made box over said packed frame, so as toinclose it, and,

nally, reversing the box with the frame inclosed therein, so as to bringthe open top of the box uppermost in readiness to receive the cover.

In the accompanying drawings, A, Figure 1, represents a completefinished box to be packed with candies or other material which it isdesirable shall present a neat appearance in the topmost layer. rlhecover of the box is not shown.

B, Fig. 2, represents an open frame,which maybe made of tin,wood,pasteboard, or other suitable material, and which is or" the exactdimensions, both as to length, breadth, and depth, of the inside of thefinished box A, so that it is adapted to fit snugly therein either endup, and yet ad mit of ready removal there from.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the packing and re-enforcing frameplaced upon a board or table in readiness for packing. Fig. 4 is acentral transverse section of the frame when packed. Fig. 5 is a similarsectional view showing the packed frame covered and inclosed by theouter box, which is to be re-enforced by the frame. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of a detached packing and re-enfbrcing frame trimmedwith lace-paper; and Fig. 7 is a perspective viewof a box completelypacked by my process, with its cover removed.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

rlhe box A, which may be of any suitable material and of any desiredform having straight sides, is packed by the aid of the IOO frame B,made, as described, to conform to the inside of the box, as follows:First, the frame is placed upon a board or table, C, (see Fig. 3,) and,where the material to be packed admits thereof, the uppermost layer, D,(see Fig. 4,) is arranged with due care in the bottom of the frame uponthe hoard C; second, the remainder of the frame is then filled in withmore or less care, and if it be not desired to pack the box completelywith the selected material the space remaining after the proper quantityhas been placed upon the rst layer, D, may be filled up with paper,shavings, or any other material, E, as shown in Fig. 4; third, the box Ais then fitted upside down over the packed frame B in manner as shown inFig. 5; fourth, the box A and the packed frame inclosed thereby are nowinverted to bring the open side up, thereby bringing the layer D to thetop, where it will remain exposed in view when the box is open.

The box is now ready to receive its cover, and the frame B, remainingtherein, serves not only as a re-enforcing lining therefor, but willmake a neat and ornamental finish for the open top of the box,especially where lace-pa per or other trimmings are used, as shown inFig. 7, the trimmingsF in such case being applied to the edge of theframe, as shown in Fig. 6.

An important advantage is found in my invention in that it permits ofthe packing and arrangement in due form of a top layer of goods whichfrom their nature will not admit of being arranged face downward withoutsupport. In such case the frame B, placed upon a board, G, is filled upwith the desired quantity of material and the top layer systematicallyarranged thereon in manner to give a pleasing effect and appearance. Theframe B thus packed may now be reversed, so as to bring the top layer tothe bottom and allow it to settle down upon the board C, so as to attaina uniform level Hush with the edge of the frame. The space yet remainingin the frame may be now completely filled and the box Atelescoped overthe frame and then reversed with the frame in it in readiness to haveits cover fitted thereon. The top layer will thus be uniform with thetop edges and made to present a regular, neat, and finished appearance.

By means of my invention any style of nished box now in the market maybe as readily and neatly packed with a finished top layer as any of theunmade or knockdown boxes heretofore provided especially for thispurpose, and as the frame remaining inthe box serves as a re-en forcetherefor a less costly box may be used without risk or damage fromconsequent weakness therein.

I am aware that small fruits have hereto` fore been packed by means of ametallic case or box in connection with the regular packing-box tocontain the articles. The metallic case in such case is made to fitclosely, but not tightly, within the packing-box, and contains afollower provided with a handle projecting outwardly th rough a tubesecured to the bottom of the box. In the use of this device the fruit isfirst packed in the metallic case upon the follower. The packing-box isthen fitted over the case. The box and case are next inverted to bringthe bottom of the case uppermost, and while the follower is heldstationary by means of the handle projecting therefrom the case islifted out of the box by the tube encircling the handle, and thefoilower, with the case, is then wholly removed. My invention differsfrom this method of packing a box in that I pack the goods, not in acase, but in an open frame upon a loose board, the frame being thencovered by the packing-box, so as to inclose it therein. Theframe,'with0ut requiring any adhesive substance or other means offastening to keep it in place, will remain in the box, will serve tore-enforce it, and the entire process, while extremelysimple and veryexpeditiously completed, has the advantage of being available withoutany special apparatus apart from the packing-box itself and the openframe by which it is lined and re-enforced.

I claim as my invention- The method of packing ready-made boxes, whichconsists in first properly placing the goods in a permanent frame whoseouter dimensions correspond with the dimensions of the interior of thebox to be packed, then tting the box bottom side up over the frame sopacked, then placing the box and frame open side up, and allowing theframe to retainits position surrounding the contents of the box,substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI havesigned my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK R. BUCK.

Witnesses:

A. N. J EsBERA, E. M. WATSON.

IOO

